Bunch builder



Feb. 24, 1942. D. c. HEALD BUNCH BUILDER Filed May 13, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet l D.C.HEALD BUNCH BUILDER Feb. 24, 1942.

Filed May 13, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 6 4 am h 4 .mw e mm m Q N 4 4 4 RR I i 44.4 4 2 4 h |4.|... o o m w M 4 \m H 4 mm, w 4 Q 4 NM. QM H Feb. 24, 1942. D c. HEALD 2,274,446

BUNCH BUILDER Filed May 13, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 o l i 6 0O k) Q Jae 6.5%0102 Patented Feb. 24, 1942 BUNCH BUILDER Dana C. Heal'd, Whitinsville, Mass, assignor to Whitin Machine Works, Whitinsville, Mass, a

corporation of Massachusetts Application May 13, 1940, Serial No. 334,747

(Class 24.2-43.7)

11 Claims.

This invention relates to spinning frames and more particularly to automatic devices for winding a bunch of thread at the base of a weft bobbin to be used in an automaticweft replenishing loom. Such a bunch is provided to form the initialwinding on a weft bobbin, and is Wound with a very short traverse. The bunch should contain a carefully limited length of thread, so that, when the regular winding on the bobbin is exhausted and Weft replenishment is indicated, the bunch will supply just enough additional weft thread to prevent complete weft exhaustion before weft replenishment takes place. j

It is the'general object of my invention to provide an improved and simplified mechanical construction in a bunch builder, and to provide a bunch builder which is very reliable in operation and economical to manufacture.

A further object of my invention is to provide a bunch builder in which the length of thread wound in the bunch may be easily varied and'accurately, controlled, and in which. the location of the bunch with respect to the regular winding may bechanged as desired.

My invention further relates tov arrangements and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

A preferred form of the inventionis shown in the drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a partial front elevation of a spinning frame embodying, my improvements, with certain parts shown in. section;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, looking in the direction of the arrow 2 in Fig. 1; l

Fig. 3 is an enlarged front elevation of the bunch builder, partly in section;

' Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3but with certain parts shown in a different relation; I

Fig. 5 is a detail. sectional plan. view, taken along the line 55 in Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is a view -of a bobbinwith a bunch wound thereon. H I

Referring to the drawings, I, have shown portions of a spinning frame which is in general of the usualtype and which comprises an end frame member It. (Fig. 1),]a spindle rail H supporting a plurality of spindles l2, and a ring rail [4 mounted on lifter rods I5 and supporting a series of spinningrings I3. Bobbins B are mounted on r (The lifter rods I5 are engaged by studs 20 on lifter levers 2| (Fig. 1) mounted on pivoted cross shafts 22 provided with heavy counterweights W which overbalance the weight of the ring rails I4 and rings It. An arm 24 is fixed on one of the cross shafts 22 which support the levers 2|, and is connected by a chain 25 to a builder lever 26. A series of lifter levers 2|, arms 24 and shafts 22 are provided at spaced intervals along the spinning frame, and successive arms 24 are connected by links 28 for simultaneous movement.

The chain 25 (Fig. 2) is connected to a winding roll 30 actuated by a ratchet wheel 3| and worm wheel 32 on a short shaft 33. The shaft 33 is turned manually when winding down the ring rail at the time of dofiing, and is intermittently advanced by the usual ratchet pawl to gradually shift the range of traverse of the ring rail upward on the bobbins during the winding operation.

The builder lever 25 is provided with a cam roll 35 (Fig. 1) engaged by a builder cam 36 mounted on a cam shaft 31 rotating in a bearing 38 in the end frame l0 and driven through a gear 39 from any suitable driving mechanism.

The parts thus far described are of the usual' type and in themselves form no part of my present invention.

I will now describe my improved bunch builder, by which the traverse of the ring rails I4 is controlled for winding a bunch X at the base of a bobbin B, as shown in Fig. 6.

For this purpose, I provide a fixed stand 4!] (Fig. 1), adjustably mounted on a bracket 4| which may be clamped to a stud 42 projecting laterally from the end frame i0. At its upper end, the stand provides a fixed bearing 43 for an extension 44 of the cam shaft 31. The stand 40 also provides upper and lower bearings 41 and 48 (Fig. 3) in which an upright shaft 50 is rotatable and also freely slidable from the position shown in Fig. 4 to the position shown in Fig. 3 and Vice-Versa.

A bevel pinion 5| (Fig. 3) fixed to the upper end of the shaft 53 engages a bevel pinion 52 on the cam shaft extension 44 when the shaft 5!! is in raised position, but clears the pinion 52 when the shaft 56] is in lowered'position.

A flange plate 55 (Fig. 3) is mounted on a hub 56 secured to the shaft 50 by a screw 51. The flange 55 also has an upward hub extension v58 which engages the under side of the fixed bearing 41 and limits upward movement of the shaft 50 and. bevel pinion 5|.

A latch (in (Fig. 3) is mounted on a fixed pivot 6| in the stand 40 and is provided with a lug 62 adapted to snap under the flange 55 under the influence of a spring 63 when the flange 55 and associated parts are raised above the lug 62. The latch 55 thereafter holds the flange 55 and associated parts in raised position until the flange is rotated to bring an opening G l in the edge thereof into alignment with the lug 62, whereupon the flange 55 will be released and the flange and associated parts move downward until the hub of the pinion engages the top surface of the bearing 4?, as will be hereinafter explained. v

The flange 55 is also provided with a depending sleeve it on which a bunch-building cylindrical cam 'll is secured. As shown in the drawings, the lower end of the cam H is formed with a series of wave-like portions or scallops 72 which are of much less depth than the corr sponding portions of the builder cam 35.

A coil spring l3 (Fig. 3) is mounted on the shaft 50 inside of the sleeve H3 and earn 1 I, with the upper end of the spring fixed in the hub 55 of the'fiange 55, and with its lower end inserted in a hole in a bearing collar M which may be secured in adjusted position in the lower bearing 48 by a screw F5. By loosening the screw and turning the collar, the tension of the spring may be adjusted.

The spring applies tension to the shaft 56 and associated parts which tends to rotate the shaft and cam in the direction of the arrow a in Fig. 3 and which returns the cam to initial position when the cam is free to rotate. This initial position is determined by a screw 76 which may be inserted in any one of a series of holes H in the sleeve l5 and which engages a stop 78 on the stand 45. The stop 78 is preferably a spring or a piece of rubber or some other slightly yieldable material.

A bunch-building roll 80 (Figs. 3 and 5) is positioned to engage the cam H and is mounted on a stud 8| fixed in the lower end of a bar 82 vertically slidable. in guideways 83 formed within the stand 55. The lower end of a link 90 is pivoted to the outer end of the stud 8!, and the link is slotted at its upper end, as indicated at 9| (Fig. 3), to receive a stud Q2 freely slidable vertically in the slot 9!. The stud 92 extends through a slot 93 in the upper end of a bracket 94- and is secured thereto by a nut 95.. The stud 52 may be adjusted vertically in the slot $3 but has no movement therein during the operation of the machine. The bracket 54 is clamped by a bolt 9'! to. the side of the builder lever 26, previously described. A counterweight W (Fig. 2)

is provided on the builder lever 25.

Having. described the details of construction of my improved bunch builder, I will now describe the operation of they various parts in the winding of a bunch on a weft bobbin.

The bunch building parts are shown in Fig. 4 in the idle position which they normally occupy during the regular winding of a bobbin, and with the. bevel pinions 5i and 52 disengaged. After winding is completed, the operator presses downward on a foot-pedal Hi5 (Fig. l) and winds rotating the the slide remains raised while the stud 92 moves idly in the slot 9 i.

As soon as the lever 21 is depressed far enough to allow the builder lever 25 to move downward and bring the roll below the lower end of the cam 'H, the spring l3 will rotate the cam in the direction of the arrow at in Fig. 3 until the screw 75 engages the stop l8, at which point the roll 85 will be out of alignment with the vertical slot I52.

Vthen downward pressure on the builder lever is then released, the counterweights W and W swing the builder lever 26 and bracket 95 upward. The stud 92 will then engage the upper end of the slot 5!, the link will be lifted, and the bunch building cam roll 85] will be moved up against the cam N. This slides the cam H and the shaft 59 upward until the hub portion 58 of the flange 55 engages the lower face of the upper bearing M, with the pinion 5i meshing with the pinion 52. When the pinions 5i and 52 are in mesh, rotation of the sleeve 10 will commence in the direction of the arrow 22 in Fig. 4.

The latch 55 then snaps under the flange 55 and holds the parts in operative relation, with the cam H rotated from the regular cam shaft 31 and with the regular cam roll 35 clearing the builder cam 36.

The builder lever 26 and the ring rails connected thereto will now be given a series of short vertical reciprocations which will cause the weft threads to be in the form of a bunch X (Fig. 6). The winding of the bunch will continue until the shaft 56 and cam H has been rotated sumciently to bring the roll 55 substantially in alignment with the upright vertical slot H32 in the cam H and sleeve E0. The relieved edge or let-off portion I56 of the cam l'l allows the roll 85 to be eased into the slot I52. Before the roll 30 leaves the edge I05, the cam roll 55 will be engaged by the regular cam 36 and the regular winding of the bobbin thereafter takes place.

When the roll 85 and the slot I52 are exactly aligned, the lug 62 of the latch 60 will also be in alignment with the opening 54 in the flange 55, whereupon the cam H and associated parts return by gravity to the lowered position shown in Fig. 4, with the pinions 5| and 52 out of mesh.

The position of the bunch relative to said regular winding may be varied by changing the position of the stud 92 in the bracket 94 and thus varying the vertical position of the roll 35 relative to the builder cam 35 during the bunch building operation.

If the stud 92 is adjusted near the upper end of the slot 93, the roll 35 will entirely clear the cam 38 and the bunch will be wound below the lower limit of regular winding traverse. If the stud 92 is adjusted toward th lower end of the slot 93, the bunch X (Fig. 6) will be covered by the lower portion of the regular winding Y when the regular winding is commenced.

In the latter case, the movement of the builder lever 26 is more or less under the control of the builder cam 36 as the points of the cam pass the roll 35, even during the winding of the bunch, but the bunch builder cam "H prevents the lever 26 following the cam 35 for the usual long traverse.

The length of thread placed on the bobbin during the winding of the hunch is determined by the location of the screw 16 in the sleeve 70. By placing the screw 76 in different holes 11, the amount of rotation of the cam H required to align the roll 80 with the slot 102 may be increased or decreased at will, thus directly varying the length of thread wound in the bunch.

The cam II is detachably secured to the sleeve Ill, so that the cam may be conveniently removed and replaced by a cam of different design to vary the cross winding of the bunch as may be desired and to increase or decrease the number of reciprocations of the ring rails while a given length of thread is being wound on the bobbins.

My improved bunch builder is much more simple in construction than many of the devices heretofore proposed for bunch winding, and all of the parts are of relatively heavy construction and well adapted for prolonged use. Furthermore, the adjustments for varying the position of the bunch and also for varying the length of thread in the bunch are both very easily under stood and easily made, and the mechanism contains no parts which require careful adjustment for satisfactory performance.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish. to b limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

1. In a spinning frame having a continuously rotated builder cam and a builder lever normally oscillated thereby, in combination, a slidable shaft, a cylindrical edge cam mounted on said shaft and-having a deep axially-extending recess at one point in its periphery, driving connections for said slidable shaft, one element of said driving connections being mounted on said slidable shaft and being normally axially displaced from driving relation to the other element of said connections, said edge cam being rotated when said shaft is moved axially and said driving connections are engaged, an auxiliary cam roll engaged by said edge cam and connected to give saidbuilder lever relatively short oscillations to wind a bunch as said slidable shaft is rotated, and said builder cam being rendered effective to control said builder lever when said auxiliary cam roll enters said deep recess and. moves idly therein.

2. The combination in a bunch builder as set forth in claim 1, in which automatic means is provided to determine the initial angular position of the slidable shaft and edge cam and to thereby determine the size of the bunch.

3. The combination in a bunch builder as set forth in claim 1, in which automatic means is provided to determine the initial angular position of the edge cam and to thereby determine position of said edge cam and to therey determine the size of the bunch.

5. The combination in a bunch builder as set forth in claim 1, in which automatic means is provided to determine the initial angular position of the slidable shaft and edge cam and to thereby determine the size of the bunch, and in which a torsion spring is provided to return said shaft and cam to initial angular position when free to turn.

6. The combination in a bunch builder as set forth in claim 1, in which means is provided to vary the vertical relation of the lower ends of the bunch winding and the regular winding.

'7. The combination in a bunch builder as set forth in claim 1, in which retaining means is provided to hold said slidable shaft in operative axial position until said shaft reaches a predetermined angular position.

8. The combination in a bunch builder as set forth in claim 1, in which said shaft has a flange fixed thereon and provided with a peripheral recess, and in which a latch is mounted on a fixed pivot-and automatically engages said flange when said slidable shaft is moved to engage said driving connections, and said flange and shaft being thereafter released when said latch enters said recess.

.9. The combination in a bunch builder as set forth in claim 1, in which the driving connections for the slidable shaft comprise a bevel pinion on said shaft and a bevel pinion rotatable with said builder cam, said pinions being engageable by upward movement of said slidable shaft and being disengageable by downward movement thereof.

10. In a spinning frame having a continuously rotated builder cam and a builder lever normally oscillated thereby, in combination, a bevel pinion rotatable with said builder cam, a slidable shaft, a cylindrical edge cam and a bevel pinion both mounted on said shaft, said cam having a deep axially-extending recess at one point in its periphery, said edge cam being rotated when said. shaft'is moved vertically and said bevel pinions are engaged, an auxiliary cam roll engaged by said edge cam'and connected to give said builder lever relatively short oscillations to wind a bunch as said slidable shaft is rotated, and-said builder cam being, rendered effective to control said builder lever when said auxiliary roll enters said deep recess.

11. In a spinning frame having a continuously rotated builder cam and a builder lever normally oscillated thereby, in combination, a bevel pinion rotatable with said builder cam, a slidable shaft, a cylindrical edge cam and a bevel pinion both mounted on said shaft, said cam having a deep axially-extending recess at one point in its periphery, said edge cam being rotated when said shaft is moved vertically and said bevel pinions are engaged, an auxiliary cam roll engaged by said edge cam and connected to give said builder lever relatively short oscillations to wind a bunch as said slidable shaft is rotated, said shaft and edge cam moving downward to disengage said bevel gears when said auxiliary roll enters said deep recess, and said builder lever being simultaneously restored to the operative control of the regular builder cam.

DANA C. HEALD. 

